Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring
Salt Table Salt Table Savannah Spanish Moss Blend
With its blend of rosemary, sage, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper, Salt Table’s Spanish Moss Blend is ideal for pork dishes, especially in the fall, and makes the seasoning of this savory stew quick and easy.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds lean pork, preferably from the shoulder
- About ¼ cup olive or canola oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
- 1 large rib celery, washed, strung, and diced small
- Salt Table Savannah Spanish Moss Blend
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups dry white wine or dry white vermouth
- About 2 cups beef or chicken broth or a blend of both (enough broth to barely cover the meat)
- 1 bay leaf, optional
- 1 pound small brown (crimini) mushrooms
- 2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced flat-leaf parsley, optional
- Crusty bread for serving
How to make it:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400° F. Trim and cut the pork into 1½-to-2-inch cubes, wrap well with paper towels, and pat dry. Put enough oil or drippings in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (preferably enameled iron) to cover bottom by about 1/4-inch. Warm over medium heat. When hot, unwrap meat and add enough to the pot to fill it without crowding. Raise the heat to medium high and brown the meat well on all sides. Transfer it to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat. Remove the pot from heat.
- Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and return the pot to medium heat. Sauté until the onion is golden, about 4 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and season well with Spanish Moss Blend. Toss to blend, turn off the heat, and transfer the pot to the center of the oven (uncovered). Bake 4 minutes, remove it, stir well, and bake 4 minutes longer.
- Remove the pot from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300° F. Add enough liquid to just cover the meat, stir well, and add the bay leaf, if using. Cover the pot tightly, return it to the oven, and bake until the pork is fork tender, about 3 hours.
- While the stew is baking, wipe the mushrooms clean with a dry cloth or paper towel, trim and quarter them. When the stew is ready, if sauce is too thin, put it over direct medium heat and boil until it’s reduced and thickened. Turn off the heat.
- When the stew is ready, heat the butter or oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms and sauté until they’re beginning to color at the edges. Season them well with Spanish Moss Blend and fold them into the stew. Garnish with chopped parsley if liked and serve with crusty bread.